Again another article on depression from the Daily Mail, I have posted a comment below the main article from another reader as I do agree with them and it is so true. I wish more could be done to end the stigma of mental illness as it is a condition anyone of us could contract at any time. As I see it, it is no different from any other physical illness for in fact it is just the same and like thyroid disease or diabetes, both of which are due to a chemical imbalance in the body. As a rule men avoid seeking advice and are very reluctant to go to a doctor for a physical ailment as it is and even more so with depression. Guys you are not immune and just as likely as women to secumb to it, it's just women confide in their friends and are not afraid to get help. Please don't play the martyr and suffer nor think it's macho and it will go away, when swift intervention can deal with it before it gets worse, you owe it to your wives, girl friends and children as they suffer too, knowing they are powerless to help you for you must take the first step.
It's easier to spot when a woman's depressed (meaning men are less likely to seek help)
- Both men and women were equally likely to classify a woman as having the condition
- But men were less able to spot it amongst themselves
People identify symptoms of depression more readily in women than men
Researchers found gender stereotypes influence public perceptions of depressed people.
For instance, when presented with a scenario of a man or woman in distress, men were more likely to say a woman was depressed than their male counterparts.
Dr Viren Swami, a reader in psychology at the University of Westminster, presented study participants with one of two fictitious subjects, Kate and Jack.
Both were described as having identical symptoms of major depression, the only difference being their suggested gender.
For example, a sample of the test reads: 'For the past two weeks, Kate/Jack has been feeling really down.
'S/he wakes up in the morning with a flat, heavy feeling that sticks with her/him all day. S/he isn’t enjoying things the way s/he normally would. S/he finds it hard to concentrate on anything.'
The respondents were asked to identify whether the individual described suffered a mental health disorder, and how likely they would be to recommend seeking professional help to the subject in the test.
Both men and women were equally likely to classify Kate as having a mental health disorder, but men were less likely than women to indicate that Jack suffered from depression.
Dr Swami said: 'Men were also more likely to recommend that Kate seek professional help than women were, but both men and women were equally likely to make this suggestion for Jack.
'Respondents, particularly men, rated Kate’s case as significantly more distressing, difficult to treat, and deserving of sympathy than they did Jack’s case.'
He also found that individual attitudes towards depression were associated with scepticism about psychiatry and anti-scientific attitudes.
Dr Swami added: 'The results are significant for initiatives aimed at enhancing mental health literacy, which should consider the impact of gender stereotypes and attitudes towards help-seeking behaviours.'
I've posted this comment from the newspaper as it is so true.
